


memories of marble steps

by whYJayteesee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Friendship, Gen, trick staircases
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 13:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11292021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whYJayteesee/pseuds/whYJayteesee
Summary: In the place where they all once called home, voices and footsteps long since silenced echo forever in the memories of an old castle.





	memories of marble steps

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a little holiday challenge between friends (let's just say the penalty for lateness is unappealing enough that two of us - incorrigible procrastinators - have posted early)  
> *  
> Prompt from TV Tropes, [Mind Your Step](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MindYourStep).

“Go - dric,” Salazar Slytherin snarled, his voice echoing off the stone walls could even be heard faintly in the great hall. He whipped his wand out of his robes, fingers in the other hand twitching as if eager to wrap themselves around somebody’s neck, and then leaned back on the railings, waiting.

It would have been a terrifying sight. The towering wizard in dark green robes, looming on the wide marble steps of Hogwarts’ entrance hall, flickering light of torches on the walls throwing the strange angles of his face into sharp relief. In a word, he loomed. His ominous presence filled the room and his shadow stretched long behind him. It _should_ have been frightening.

Yet even as approaching footsteps were heard on the other side of the grand oak doors, Salazar hissed and gave another tug at his left leg. Of course that did nothing except allow the stair to swallow up more of it - which meant he truly needed the banister to stay upright now.

How then, could it have been a surprise for the Gryffindor to be greeted by a face-full of furious snake once he was past those doors?

“I had nothing to do with this!” clutching at his bruised nose with one hand, Godric gingerly levitated his hissing attacker out of the way (Merlin knew what Salazar would do if his pet was hurt on top of his pride). Once that was done, he turned the full force of his indignant stare on the wizard stuck in the trick staircase, “would you kindly redirect the force of your vengeance tow -”

Before he could finish, a raven swooped down from its perch somewhere in the rafters. Moments before its talons touched the step above Salazar’s, it disappeared, and Rowena straightened in its place, “Oh but I, unlike _you_ Godric, am his favorite.”

She turned to him and with their combined effort, Salazar found it much easier for both his feet to find solid ground.

"I've placed a few of those throughout the whole castle, probably ought to have informed you three first though. My apologies, Salazar."

He laughed, waving it away; Godric growled in aggravation somewhere behind them. 

“And to what do I owe this unpleasant surprise?” Salazar asked then, ever the long suffering victim of the most...unorthodox witch of their age, “another addition to the castle’s defenses?”

Rowena smiled, warm and playful and far too sly.

“Something like that, my friend... something like that.”


End file.
